The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade today marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia and Interphobia (IDAHOT+) with a ceremonial gathering at the “Svetozar Marković” University Library. The event, held under the motto “Equality at the heart of democracy”, brought together high officials and representatives of international organizations to draw attention to the position of the LGBTI+ community in Serbia.

Introductory addresses were delivered by the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, the Head of the Council of Europe Mission in Belgrade, János Babity, the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation and the ambassadors of Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Commissioner Antonijević emphasized on that occasion that certain progress has been made in Serbia regarding the rights of LGBTI+ persons and that we can assess that the situation is somewhat good, but that there are still many steps we must take as a society and in institutions: “The Day Against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is an opportunity to send a clear message that Serbia knows its path and that we now speak about homophobia in a completely different way.”

“Our values are the values of respect for the dignity of every citizen of Serbia and the possibility for every citizen to feel dignified in accordance with what our Constitution guarantees”, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality said.

Antonijević emphasized the importance of cooperation between institutions and civil society organizations, which are “closer to citizens, more easily recognize problems and represent a bridge between citizens and institutions”. He added that an independent institution, such as the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, can also be seen as one such bridge.

The Head of the Council of Europe Mission in Belgrade, János Babity, said that for many LGBTI+ persons across Europe, hostility, intimidation and discrimination are part of everyday life, whether in public spaces, online, at work or simply while trying to live openly and safely. “That is precisely why today’s gathering is important, because it is part of a much broader and increasingly urgent conversation. The very theme of this day underlines a fundamental truth: equality is at the very heart of democracy itself. This also includes the equality of LGBTI+ persons.”

The Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Plamena Halacheva, said that words such as “united” or “diversity” do not mean much when 55% of LGBTI+ persons in the EU state that they face harassment motivated by hatred, which is an increase of 18% compared to 2019. “This year’s conference theme “At the heart of democracy” is not just a title. It is a challenge. Democracy is not measured by laws on paper, speeches or conferences. It is measured by whether those laws work for everyone, not only for the powerful, not only for the majority, but especially for the vulnerable. When LGBTI+ persons are denied equality, safety or dignity, that is a failure of democracy itself”, emphasized Halacheva, who said that the European Commission had adopted its first strategy for LGBTI+ equality.

The conference presented the findings of research showing that citizens still feel the greatest social distance towards the LGBTI+ community. Although the institution of the Commissioner records a high degree of compliance with recommendations, that percentage is the lowest precisely in cases of discrimination against members of the LGBTI+ community, who, out of fear for their safety, rarely report incidents personally.

The program was complemented by the exhibition “Trans Balkan” by Aleksandar Crnogorac and the walking tour “Erased Spaces”, which took participants through historical places of queer resistance in Belgrade.

A special part of the event was the presentation of the Commissioner’s initiative to the City of Belgrade to arrange the area in front of the institution’s headquarters in Bulevar kralja Aleksandra, which will bear the name “Park of Equality”, with the idea of symbolizing the importance of human rights and tolerance for the wellbeing of society. The landscaping of the park began with the planting of flowers, and the city authorities will arrange the park according to the conceptual design of students of the Faculty of Forestry by autumn, when it is planned to be ceremonially opened.

This year’s commemoration is part of a three-day event in Novi Sad and Belgrade, aimed at building a more just society through a culture of dialogue, and was organized within the project “Combating Discrimination and Promoting Diversity in Serbia”, which is part of the joint program of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey”, in partnership with the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, and in cooperation with the embassies of Germany, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom, as well as the German organization for international cooperation – GIZ.